Track apparatus for spectacular performances



Jan. 24; 1933. I R p HAYHURST 1,895,285

TRACK APPARATUS FOR SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES Filed Aug. 7, 1931 Z'SheetS-Sheet l 9 i I" TIII T L r 9 13 "1717.4. 15 6 ll 13 2? 7b 20 I /7 W 1 ill 1 I 33 ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1933. R. P. HAYHURST TRACK APPARATUS FOR SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES Filed Aug. '7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WVi/VM 0 5) w 147 TOR/Vi V Patented Jan. 24, 1933 UNITED 1 STATES PAT NT OFFICE" ROBERT PARKER RAYHURS'T, or ivnnsonnnetnnn TRACK APPARATUS FOR SPECTACULAR PERRo MA cns' Application filed August 7, 1931, Serial m3. 555,346, and in Great Britain Au'gust le, 1930."

a desired speed before he transfers to the vertical track. p

With such apparatus, for an adequate exhibition to be afforded, it is necessary for the spectators to mount and stand upon a staging in order to look downinto the hollowcylinder, said staging being costly and diflicult to transport anderect, v p The present invention has for its object to provide an apparatus of the type to which the invention relates, but upon which a much more thrilling performance can be given, and which moreover will permit thejperformance to be viewed from the ground,'thus enabling if required the staging to be entirely dispensed'with. i j 7 According to the present invention, a vertical walled track, whichmay be collapsible, resembling an open-ended cylinder is provided, which may becircular, oval or of other appropriate shape seen inplan, This is pref-.

erably made up from a suitable frameworkand from well spac'ed slats, so thatthe wall constituted thereby can readily be seen through. p I

The vertical walled track thus constituted is mounted in gimbals I or on trunnions or shafts insuitably supported bearings to sustainthe structure a desired distance from the ground, and hand or power actuatedgear is provided to enable the track structure tovbe rotated around the aXis-of said gimbals, trunnions or the like Means are provided to' enable a motor-cyattained the track, it is adapted to betur'ned cli st upon a machine to enterand ridear'oundthe said vertical walled track when it is in What may be termed the usual horizontal plane, and after the rider and machine have around the horizontal axis so that it reaches what may be termed a vertical plane, when the rider and the machine whilst riding round the track'also loop the loop a de sired number of times, before the 'tr-ack'is again brought to the horizontal position and the rider and machine are again able to transfer from the "vertical walled track to the starting and stopping means; The preferred meansfo'r enabling the rider and machine to be transferred to the vertical walled track may resemble an a-pparatus such as already known, but adapted to be moved vertically through a desired distancerela tively to the vertical walled track mounted in the gimbals or the like. For example, mounted below the revoluble track-structure is a shallow basin-like track of closedor open slat construction which is designed normally to occupy a low position, for instance to rest on o-rnear the floor, and means arepro'vided to raise this-base-like track upwards to meet or ioin-with the revoluble main track,

so that the same can become the base of the latter. The raising and lowering may be effected through suitableapparatus and may be guided asdesired. V

In order that the invention may be better understood, it will now be described with a reference to'the accompanying drawings in 9 which;

I 1 shows somewhatdiagrammatically in sectional elevation preferred apparatus constructed according to the invention. i

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the 'apparatusshown in Fig. 1. V a i F1gs.,3;4' and 5 show d agrammatic eleva-:

tional views, somewhat in perspective, "illusg trating the method of us ng the: apparatus accordlng to'the inventions r I formed from spaced slats such as indicated at 11, it being understood that the slats extendthe whole of the way around. The hollow cylindrical structure 10 forms a vertical walled. track and may haveany required di- 'mensionsl In one. preferred form, however,

the said track may have a diameter'of about 15 feet and an axial length of about 8 feet. One of the stub shafts 9=carries a worm wheel 12 with which meshes a worm 13, the shaft of which is carried by suitable bearings and has fixed thereto a sprocket wheel .14 whlch.

is connected .by a chain 15' with another sprocket 1:6- carriedby a suitable shaft adapted to be actuatedfrom a handle; 1.7. In this manner by turning the handle 17, the verti cal walled track 10 can be turned on the stub shafts 9 sothat it. occupies for example the full line position. shown in Fig. 2, or the dotted. line position; v

1 Below the vertical walled track lO-ls'looated? a shallow basin-like structure comprising F a: framework carrying, a vertical walled trackJ18 and a lower slope 19 and horizontal. platform 20; The vertical walled tracklS and the slope 19 may beformed from slat .or similar constructioni-f desired and the whole is carried bylug-like' members 21inclnding travelling nuts 22 carried in guideways by the members-23 of thestandards 6. Between themembers 213' of each of the standards is mounted in bearings a vertical screw 27, so1th'at the said screw can turn but can not. move axially; Each screw engages with a correspondingnut 22 and at its lower end has located thereon a bevel wheel 28 which meshes with: a'bevel pinion 29 carried by a horizontal shaft 30 supported in bearings by the" framework 7. One end of the shaft 30 carriesasprocket wheel 31- connected to another sprocket *wheel'32' bya chain 33, the shaft. of the sprocket wheel 32 having an actuating handle; 34. mounted thereon. 7

By this-'means, upon the rotation of the handle 34 the two screws- .27' (only one of which istshownin the drawings) are rotated 1 on theiraxes,v and this, causes the nuts 22 to move axially andraise or lower the shall ow basin-like structure, If it is in the position shown: in. Figs land 2,. it may be 'raise'dito contact with the lower end of the vertical walled track. 10, and when in this-position can be-l-owered to the position shownin-sFigs. 1 and2. .For the purposes of utilizing the apparatusytherider upon a .motor cycle enters the basin'eli-ke lower structure as indicated in the v diagrammatic view, Fig.3, and this basins like structure is then raised until it occupies the position shown in Fig. 4. The rider then starts the machine and runs around the slope 19 thereon, until a desired speed is attained, when the rider transfers to the short vertical track 10. This is the position'of the rider shown in Fig. 4.

The lower basin-like track structure is now lowered by the handle 34: and the main vertical walled track is turned by the handle 17 to occupy. the dotted'position shown in Fig. 2,. during. the whole of the time. the rider on the machine running. around the vertical tween the slats of the tracks.

YVhilst therider still circlingtheltrack. 1O is again turned to the horizo-ntalposition, and the. lowergstructure. raised to. join therewith, permitting the rider to transfer.

to the lower structure, thenceto the slope 1-9.

and to .come to rest iii-the ordinary way,

It is of course obviousthatthe rider. might start up and ridev around thelower slope. l9 and the lower. track 18 when. it. was in the lower position and: while so riding. round, beraised before. transferring. to the. track. 1.0..v

Although generally speaking a. slatted structure is desirable for the tracks, some cases other open-work structurev may be adopted, such for example as. a. track made walled track 10. When the vertical position from. suitably supported. expanded metal)...-

perforated metal or otherwise.

Moreover, although. it isfpreferable to utilize the means indicated for enablingtherider andmachine tov be transferred to andfrom the vertical walled. track, in somecases other means may be adopted. For example if de sired, one open end of the. vertical walled track itself maybe provided with a sloping portion and. a closed. centre, and means. provided by which the rider and machine can be located at this end, which preferably comes lowermost. Forthis purposeif desired, the vertical walled track itself may be madeto be raised or lowered, or else av ladder or other elevatingmeans may be provided by which therider and machine canbe'located in position. With this modification, afterthe desired speed isattained on the. slopeportion, the rider willtransfer tov thev vertical wall and then the whole device turned uponthe gimbals, stubshafts or the like- The'invention is not limited to the precise.

tersPatent of the United States of. America 2 I Exhibition track apparatusffor vehicles 7' comprising a continuous running track,

' means for so supporting said track that the track into engagement with the running track to enable a vehicle to be transferred from one track to the other.

2. Exhibition track apparatus for vehicles comprising aco-ntinuous running track, sup porting means therefor, means for rotating said running track about a diametral axis, a starting track having a closed bottom and means for raising and lowering said starting track.

8. Exhibition track apparatus for vehicles comprising two upright members, a cylindrical running track open at each end located between said upright members, pivoting means carried by said upright membersand engaging said running track so that the same can rotate about a diametral axis, a bowl-' shaped starting track below said running track and means for raising and lowering said'starting track relatively to the running track.

4. Exhibition track apparatus for vehicles comprising a continuous running track, means for pivotally supporting said running track whereby it can rotate on a diametral axis and means to convey a running vehicle to said running track. 7

5. Exhibitiontrack apparatus for vehicles as claimed in claim 4, wherein the running track is formed of a series of spaced slats.

6. Exhibition track apparatus for vehicles comprising two upright supports, a continuous running track pivoted between said supports on a diametral axis, means to rotate said running track about said axis, a start ing track slidable on said upright supports and screw means for moving saidstarting track in a line parallel to said supports into engagement with the running track.

7 Exhibition track apparatus for vehicles comprising two spaced upright supports, an

open ended circular track, means for pivo ing said running track on a diametral axis,

said pivoting means being located at the upper ends of said supports, a dish-shaped starting track having a circular mouth of the same diameter as the running track, and means for bringing said starting track into engagement with one of the open ends of the running track.

8. Exhibition track apparatus for vehicles comprising a circular running track of comparatively small depth relatively to diameter, means for supporting said track so as to rotate about a diametral axis, a starting track below said running track having a closed bottom and an openmouthofthe same diameter as the running track and means for raising said starting track into engagement with one end of the running track.

track. v

12. Exhibition track apparatus for ve- I 9'.-Exhibition' trackapparatusfor vehicles as claimed in claim 8, wherein the running trackin'corporates a peripheral framework and aseries of spaced slats fitted transversely to saidperipheral framework,

10.- Exhibitiontrack apparatus fol vehicles comprising two upright members having'apertures near-their upper ends, a circular running track, pivoted pins projecting from-the peripheralface of said running track andengaging in saidapertures in the uprights whereby the running track can be rotated on aldiametral axis, means for Totating said running track, a starting track' below said running track slidably engaging the lower portions of said upright members, and screw means for raising the starting track intoengagement with one open mouth of the running track.

.11. Exhibition track apparatus for vehicles comprising two upright members having aligned apertures at their upper ends, a

running track of circular form of a large' diameter relatively to depth, projecting piv- 0t pins on the peripheral wall of said running track at a point midway of the depth thereof and journalled in said apertures in the upright members whereby said running track can rotate on'a diametral axis, a worm wheel secured to one of said pivot pins, a worm engaging said worm wheel, manual means for rotating said worm, a dish-like starting track having a closed bottom and an open mouth at the upper end and means i for raising said starting track into engagement with one end mouth of the running hicles comprising two spaced upright members each composed of two spaced rods, struts for s'upportingsaid upright members, a circular running track of comparatively great diameter relatively to depth, radially extending pivot pinson the outer periphery of said running track located midway of its depth and engageable within apertures at the upper ends of said upright members, a starting track having a cylindrical portion of the same diameter as the running track, a con'ed portion below said cylindrical portion and a closed bottom, means carried on r the peripheral'wall of said starting track. slidably engaging the spaced rods forming the upright members, a, threaded spindle as-' sociated with each upright member between the two rods composing said upright mem her, a correspondingly threaded lug on said to said starting track in a vertical direction and means for applying a rotational movement to said running vtrack about the axis hicles comprising av running track, meansstarting track, means for applying rotation to said screwed spindle to apply movement f0f1ipp0rting said track. rotatably about a diametral axis, a; starting; track, means; for n V slidably supporting said starting? track be" neath said running track,lman:ua means in F eluding reductionv gearing for rotating said running track about 'sa-id diametral axis and manual means including a screw andcoopera ting nut, for raising and lowering said starting track.

1'0 'Ingw-itness' whereoi I afiix my signature;

' ROBERT PARKER HA YHUR ST. 

